21st Week of Pregnancy

In the 21st week of your pregnancy, your baby is 10.5 inches long and weighs about 12.7 ounces. The baby is now big enough and you can even feel its movements.

Baby's growth and development

At this stage, your baby's digestive system is preparing itself for the world outside and is manufacturing meconium. It's a tarry black substance that is find in baby's first dirty diaper. If it's a baby girl then she already has lifetime supply of eggs in the womb, nearly around six million.

Mother's Development

Changes You Experience

In this week, you gain about 6 kilograms of weight. The increase in weight causes more of back pain. The uterus has risen about half an inch above the belly button. Most of the early pregnancy symptoms, like frequent urination, dizziness, nausea and vomiting vanish by now. As a result, women feel more relaxed and cheerful.

However, in week 21, your feet and lower legs swell by the end of the day. This is because blood pools in those areas when the mother stands for a long period of time. To avoid this, adequate rest must be taken and the mother must take breaks while standing.

Some women have spider veins around their face, ankles and neck. There may be a pattern of veins in these areas which are quite prominent to the eye. They are completely harmless and vanish after delivery.

The blood supply to the breasts and sexual organs increases. As a result, vaginal discharge may also increase now.

Complications

As most of the early pregnancy symptoms disappear at this stage, women enjoy this phase of pregnancy. But there are other problems that may crop up. If there is a significant change in the color, odor, or amount of vaginal discharge, one must consult the doctor immediately.

There is an increased risk of developing UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) at this stage. To avoid this, drink lots of water and wear loose clothes. Bacterial infection is extremely common during pregnancy, but if it goes untreated it may lead to kidney infection.

Diet

Healthy diet is essential during this period. Try to include leafy vegetables, milk and dairy products, eggs, fruits, fish and cereals in your diet. The mother must keep it in mind that she is eating for the baby as well. So, avoid having large fishes like swordfish, tiller fish as they may contain high amounts of mercury which is harmful for the mental development of the baby. Drink lots of water and fiber to avoid constipation and UTI, which are some common problems at this stage.